Little Diner on the Corner
by a.l.russo
Summary: Liv asks El where his favorite place to be is... E/O! P.S., I got some requests to do a chapter two, so I did. Sorry it took so long--I had to figure out how! Lol, is it that obvious that I'm a n00b? Enjoy! :D
1. Chapter 1

It was snowing. Olivia Benson had on her purple, wool hat that Elliot's daughter Lizzie had knit her. She also was walking alongside Elliot, to go to the diner on the corner. It was their day off, and they had both agreed that they wanted to spend the day together. Maybe in the past, this would have been an issue with Kathy. But because the papers were filed, and the kids were with Kathy that weekend, there was no problem that Elliot Stabler spend the day with Olivia.

They walked arm in arm. They had both been quiet for the walk from Olivia's apartment. So, Olivia decided to break the deafening noise. "So, where in the world is your favorite place to be?" Olivia asked, demonstrating the world with a wave of her hand.

"You first," Elliot said, as a shy smile crept onto his face. He held the door open for Olivia, and they both chose their favorite booth next to the window. Olivia took off her hat, and said "I don't know… maybe in Nantucket."

"Where's that, again?" Asked Elliot. He wasn't the best at geography.

"Off the coast of Massachusetts." Olivia smiled as she recalled the memory, "I remember one time I had gone with a friend, and we rented bikes. After about an hour of riding them, we got lost. It took at least three hours to get ourselves back into the main town. But I got a lot of leg muscle that week." She chuckled, and the waitress came over. "Coffee?" She asked. Olivia and Elliot both said "Please."

Elliot took a sip of the freshly-poured coffee, and turned to Olivia. "I had a weird dream last night." He was trying to veer away from the other topic, mainly because his favorite place was… well… personal.

Thankfully, Olivia didn't notice. Instead, she smiled and said "Ooh, do tell."

"I was flying. And then every single memory I ever had replayed in my head. And then my alarm woke me up."

"Hmm." Said Olivia, taking a sip of her coffee. "Was I in there?" She asked.

Numerous times. "Once or twice," said Elliot, shrugging.

Olivia looked into Elliot's eyes. Elliot thought she was looking at them with such soft intensity that she was looking into his soul, and learning everything about him. Her warm eyes searched him, as if looking for something in particular. "What?" Elliot challenged playfully.

"I like that suit on you." Olivia said. She smiled, and leaned her head against her fist, which was balanced by her elbow.

Elliot studied her. "You okay?" He asked, cautiously.

Olivia shrugged. "Tired. I kept having nightmares last night."

"Of…?" Elliot inquired.

"When I was undercover." She looked away, as if almost ashamed.

"Liv, I really think you should see someone. Hell, George could physc-evaluate you every week if you really want him to."

Olivia shook her head firmly, her dark hazel eyes hiding behind her eyelids. "I don't need anyone. I'm fine." Her face became dark, and then softened as she absently stirred a spoon in her coffee.

By impulse, Elliot put his hand on top of Olivia's, which was resting in the middle of the table. He tried to take it away, because at first it looked like Olivia was freaked out by the notion. But when she grabbed his pinky when he started to move it, he kept it on top of hers. What Elliot thought was interesting, was that it was warm even though it was in the bare cold just a few minutes ago.

"You never answered my question, Stabler." Olivia said after a moment of silence.

His stomach flipped. "Which was…?"

"Where you favorite place to be was." Olivia said, matter-of-factly.

Elliot glues his eyes to the ground.

"Well?" She demanded, playfully.

He looked up. "With you."


	2. Chapter 2

After paying for the bill, Elliot and Olivia walked out into the bitter cold again. They were silent for a moment, and Elliot had a tight knot in his stomach; a huge regret for what he had said in the diner. Did it freak her out? Is the silence an awkward one? Did she never want to speak to him again? All of these thoughts, and more, ran through Elliot's mind, all of them asking their questions at once.

Elliot sighed. He had been trying to figure out what to say to break the ice with Olivia, without making things worse. He decided to go with the old fashioned way; "I'm sorry." He truly meant it.

"About what?" Asked Olivia, looking up at him in surprise.

This surprised Elliot. She wasn't mad? "What I said in the diner. I didn't mean to freak you out."

"Freak me out?" Olivia asked. She shook her head and chuckled. "Elliot, trust me when I say that you didn't freak me out. I thought it was sweet, honestly." She smiled at him, her eyes glistening.

Elliot's shoulders felt ten tons lighter. "Oh, okay, good." He said, as he sighed. "I mean, I just…I…"

Olivia shook her hands, to stop him. "It's okay." She linked arms with him again.

"Liv?" He asked, watching his feet make imprints in the snow.

"Yeah?" She responded, and looked up at Elliot.

"I got you something. For your birthday." He motioned Olivia to a bench, and once she sat down, he did as well.

"El… you remembered?" Asked Olivia. Honestly, she herself had forgotten that it was her birthday. She was having so much fun with Elliot, that the day had just seemed like a normal, beautiful day.

"Of course," said Elliot, smugly, "12/9. My lucky numbers." They were only lucky to him, because that was when Olivia was born. And without her, he wouldn't be the person he was today.

After a brief pause, Elliot flashed his cocky, half-smile at Olivia which, to be honest, made her heart melt every time. He then reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out a velvety box, which was about five inches long.

Elliot had gotten Olivia an emerald cut into the shape of a heart, on a white-gold chain. It wasn't a gaudy heart that was huge, but a small one. He knew Olivia hated drawing attention.

He remembered the time where he and Olivia were investigating a rape/homicide in a jewelry shop, which made him choose what jewelry to buy for her.

_"…And he left all of the emeralds. Hmm, that's kind of sad." _She had muttered.

_"Why?" _Elliot had asked. He was a guy, what did he care about green rocks?

_"I think they're beautiful. I don't understand why someone would leave them."_

_"That's just you, Liv." _Elliot had retorted.

Olivia looked at him, her smile hiding the true expression of her eyes. _"I know."_

Back in reality, Elliot opened the box for her, as if opening a ring box. Except, he wasn't on one knee… but he was in love.

Once seeing the piece of jewelry, Olivia let out a small gasp. She wasn't one to be dramatic, but she just simply couldn't contain that surprise and excitement inside of her. "It's… it's beautiful." Olivia said in a whisper, unintentionally.

A smile crept onto Elliot's face. "I'm glad you like it. I knew how you once said you liked emeralds, so…"

Olivia looked up to him and smiled, and then turned her attention to the emerald. She lightly touched it with two fingers. "It's perfect." She looked up to him. "Thank you. So much. You really didn't have to do this."

"I wanted to." Elliot said, softly. Olivia took out the emerald necklace, and unclasped it. "Here, let me," said Elliot, and he put it on Olivia. He smiled. "It looks great on you."

Olivia put the box on the other side of her, and she hugged Elliot. All Olivia truly wanted was to be with Elliot, but the generosity made her heart leap even more.

"You're the greatest person I've ever met," Olivia whispered in his ear.

Elliot's heart leapt and he was glad that Olivia was happy. "I'm glad you like the gift," he said.

Olivia pulled back, and shook her head. "It's not that. I mean, I love the emerald, and I'm never taking it off, but the reason I said that is because… well, it's true. You're the only one who really gets me, who has always been there for me. I can't ask any more for someone like that."

Elliot sighed. He was trying to figure out a way to say "I love you" in a shrouded cloud of mystery. When he came at a loss of words, he then said, "You mean the same to me, Liv. I'd do anything for you." He pulled her in his arms, and kissed her forehead.

They sat on the park bench until nightfall. Both of them not saying a single word, because they both knew what the other was saying:

I love you.


End file.
